It's Not Forever
by takethecurve
Summary: Filming is coming to a close on Season 12 of Degrassi, and as Aislinn and Munro film their final scene, they're both left feeling a little blue. When Aislinn hears a knock on her dressing room door, what will the man on the other side have to say? One-shot.


**Author's Note: I don't own anything or anybody, including but not limited to Degrassi, their characters, cast, or locations, any pop culture references, or any literary references.**

**It's Not Forever**

_"I can't believe you're going to be five hundred miles away," Clare told him, a solitary tear streaming down her face. "I can't believe I'm not going to see you everyday."_

_"It's not forever," Eli tried to comfort her, putting his last bag in the trunk of Cece's car and pulling her into his arms. "It's one year, Clare, and then you'll be finished here and can join me in the city. We can get one of those cliche horrible apartments and eat ramen noodles together."_

_"Because my mother would go for that in an instant," she scoffed._

_"It's going to be fine," he assured her._

_"I know, but that doesn't make it suck any less."_

_Eli smirked, a short laugh escaping his chest._

_"I love you," he told her, brushing a tear away from her cheek._

_"I love you, too," she cried, rising to her tiptoes to kiss him softly. Too soon, they parted, and Eli got into the car. Clare moved back to stand on the doorstep, waving as the car drove away. She sat down on the step, took a deep breath, and looked off in the distance._

"Cut!" came the loud voice across the street. Aislinn breathed deeply, swallowing the sob that threatened to choke her and wiping away her tears. She watched as the car that had barely driven two "houses" down stopped, and Munro stepped out of it alongside Jennifer and Tufford.

"And that's a wrap on Eli," called Stefan. The crew began to applaud, and Aislinn joined in, seeing the proud smiles of everyone as they congratulated Munro on his time with the show. Not wanting to be the Debbie Downer, she retreated back to her dressing room, shedding Clare as she changed her clothes and jewelry.

Aislinn had just settled into the couch and was scrolling through her phone when a soft knock rapped on the door.

"Come in," she called, and Munro's form appeared in the doorway, still in his Eli attire.

"Hey," she smiled, putting her phone down on the arm of the couch.

"Hey," he returned, and she could see the sadness in his eyes. Munro was always one to get attached to his shows, something she had always respected.

"Are you okay?" she asked, gesturing to the empty space beside her. He sat down, smoothing his hands over his pants.

"Would it be too cliche to say, 'yes and no'?" he admitted.

"Never," she assured him. "You're in much better shape than Annie was this morning, remember?"

"True."

"You know," Aislinn began. "In case I forget to say it later, it's been a pleasure working with you again, sir."

"Oh shut up," Munro scoffed good-naturedly. "You're just ready for your new love interest, aren't you?"

"Ha!" she exclaimed. "Do you really think somebody could replace you so easily?"

"Sure feels like it today," he admitted. Aislinn touched his shoulder, bringing his attention to her face.

"Munro, you will never be replaced around here," she said firmly. "Not to the show, not to Clare, and certainly, not to me."

"You mean it?" he asked, barely leaning forward. Aislinn could see his eyes threatening to tear up, his composure barely hanging on. Ever so lightly, Aislinn moved her hand from his shoulder, ghosting past his neck to rest on his cheek. She leaned forward to close the few inches between them, her eyes fluttering closed as she barely touched her lips to his.

Aislinn could feel the energy in the room charged with electricity, as it always did when she kissed him. She moved her lips ever so slightly, finishing her light kiss before letting a few inches pass between them. Her eyes opened as a solitary tear leaked out of them, and Munro was looking back at her intensely, his own tears having finally spilled. Her hand still rested on his cheek, and as she prepared to drop it, Munro reached up to hold it there, turning his face to kiss her palm.

An all too familiar blush crept across Aislinn's cheeks as his lips grazed the inside of her palm. Her breath caught in her throat, and she swallowed hard, trying to simmer herself down. Still barely inches away, she was caught off guard as Munro let her hand fall back down into her lap. She looked down at it then back up to him, barely catching his eye before he closed the distance between them once more.

Munro's lips connected with hers fiercely, his hand reaching around to cup the back of her neck, pulling her in closely. She felt a sigh escape her as he deepened their kiss, his tongue diving out to meet her own as she threw her arms around his torso, crushing herself to him. She could barely breath as they kissed, all pretense of gentleness or shyness falling away to desperation.

Neither noticed the door swing open until a loud gasp broke their concentration, and they jumped apart to see Jessica standing in the doorway, a look of shock giving way to a sly smile.

"I'll just..." she drifted off, pointing back out the doorway before darting back out, closing the door behind her.

Munro and Aislinn looked at each other, both breathing deeply, and the look of surprise melted off of Munro's face into a smile before he managed to laugh. Aislinn fell into her own fit of giggles, falling back into a slump on the couch.

"I'll uh..." Munro faltered, rising to his feet. "I'll see you at the wrap party tomorrow?"

"Of course," she smiled, unsure of what else to say. He smiled, clearing his throat before walking out the dressing room door.

Aislinn rose to her feet, the fingers of her right hand rising to touch her bottom lip, the smile on them never fading. She walked over to the mirror, brushing her fingers through her hair. She picked up her phone off the couch arm, tossing it lightly into her purse before throwing it over her shoulder. As she turned off the lights on another season of Degrassi, she exited her dressing room, closing the door behind her. She turned to head down the hallway, noticing a smiling Jessica leaning on the opposite wall.

"It's about time," was all she said before she skipped off down the hallway, her crocs squeaking lightly.

Yes, Aislinn though. It really was.


End file.
